Guest Column by Barbara Walker

There’s just something about Texarkana that gets in your soul. Maybe it’s the way we sit right on the state line, half Texas, half Arkansas, but fully home. I love that we’re a dual city, where you can literally stand in two states at once and still feel like you belong to one big family.

Texarkana has that perfect mix of small-town heart with a big-city vibe. You can go out and meet someone new every day, but chances are they already know your cousin, your kid’s teacher, or your favorite lunch spot. It’s big enough that you don’t know everyone, yet small enough that everyone somehow knows you. Around here, everyone’s a celebrity, and I mean that in the best way. We celebrate each other’s wins, we show up for our neighbors, and we take pride in where we’re from.

As someone who works in hospitality, I get to sell Texarkana every day to clients, travelers, and groups just passing through on their way to another destination. And honestly, that’s easy for me to do. Because I don’t just sell our city, I believe in it. I love showing people that Texarkana isn’t just a stop along the way; it’s a place worth exploring, staying a little longer, and falling in love with.

I’ll be honest, there was a time when I wanted to leave. Like so many young people, I thought I needed to go somewhere “bigger.” But life has a way of bringing you back to what matters most. When I came home, I saw Texarkana with new eyes, the community spirit, the history, the friendly faces, the way people genuinely care. It’s the kind of place where you can build a life, raise a family, and know you’re surrounded by good people.

Now, I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I love our city, I’m proud to be from here, and I’m even prouder to be raising my family here. Texarkana will always be home and I’ll always be grateful that I found my way back.